


We’re Okay

by watchcatewrite



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Baking, Board Games, Dirty Talk, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Facetime, Multi, Mutual Masturbation, Nail Polish, Polyamory, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, Voyeurism, topinquarantine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-01
Updated: 2020-05-01
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:49:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23947954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/watchcatewrite/pseuds/watchcatewrite
Summary: Josh can’t help thinking that everything really is going to be okay.
Relationships: Jenna Black/Josh Dun/Tyler Joseph/Debby Ryan
Comments: 2
Kudos: 26





	We’re Okay

**Author's Note:**

> Me? Writing a jebshler fic? Huh.
> 
> Thank you to any and everyone who participated in my little quarantine mini bang!! I honestly just wanted an excuse to write this fic so thanks for humoring me. 😉

“I’m just saying, dude. I would get as much extra sleep as I can right now.” 

Tyler laughs at Josh’s words, his chin resting on his hand. Already he can feel his eyelids start to droop, and he knows the other man is right. He lets his head fall to the side, Josh watching him with a smile on his face. His curls are a mess, his hair getting long. 

“LA looks good on you, man. You look happy.” Josh’s cheeks darken in a blush, and Tyler grins. 

“Thanks.” Josh hates taking compliments. It’s why Tyler gives them out so liberally. “I miss you.”

The last three words are quiet. Not an afterthought, but maybe something Josh was trying not to say. It’s the one thing they try not to talk about. They’ve been living on different sides of the country so long now that they should be used to it. But the ache in Tyler’s chest never really goes away. He’s glad for Jenna. For Debby. For whatever makes them happy when they’re apart. 

“I miss you, too.” 

Tyler’s head drops to the desk, pillowed by his arms. Josh leans forward, resting his chin on his own hand, until his face takes up most of the screen. Tyler can almost make out his freckles, can almost see the soft lines around his eyes. FaceTime’s never been as good as the real thing, but it makes the ache feel less pronounced. 

“You guys will come visit soon, right? Once the baby’s born?”

Josh nods, before slumping forward to mirror Tyler, his head tilted to the side over his forearms. “We’ll come whenever you’re ready for us.”

There’s a pause, and a grin slowly breaks out over Josh’s face. “I can’t believe you still won’t tell me her name. All this bullshit about me being your ‘partner’ and you still won’t give up the goods.”

Tyler laughs, burying his face in his arms momentarily before glancing back up at the other man. “Hey, I’m not even telling my own mom, so. Suck it up.”

Josh’s smile widens and he rolls his eyes gently. “Fine, whatever. But I won’t forget this Tyler Joseph.”

“When you and Debby have your own rugrat you can keep their name from me too. Fair?”

“Fair.” 

They both smile at each other gently, silence slowly settling over the room. Tyler lets himself relax further down into his arms, his eyelids growing heavy again. He really should be sleeping. When Rosie gets here he won’t have a good night’s sleep for months. Not that he really has those now. But every pixelated minute with Josh feels too precious to give up. 

There’s the sound of shuffling feet down the hallway behind him, and Tyler lifts his head to turn toward the door. Jenna’s belly leans around the doorway long before her head, long fingers wrapping around the doorframe. 

“Is that Josh?” Her words are quiet and Tyler replies in kind. 

“Yeah.”

“Tell him I love him.” Tyler nods before turning back to the computer. 

“Jenna loves you.” Josh grins, his head still pillowed on his arms, as if he hasn’t watched the entire exchange. 

“Tell her I love her too.”

Tyler turns again, this time to his wife. “Josh loves you too.”

She nods, satisfied, before giving a small wave of her fingers and heading back down the hallway to the bedroom. Her words carry on behind her. “Night, boys.”

Tyler turns back to the computer with a smile on his face, his head settling on to its arm pillow again. Josh is watching him, and Tyler wonders if he tries to memorize Tyler’s face like Tyler does his. If he closes his eyes at night and tries to see it perfectly behind his eyelids. Tyler takes in a deep breath before sighing gently, his eyes starting to drift closed again. 

“I should let you go to sleep.” Josh’s words are almost sad, and Tyler has the sudden desire to kiss him, to make it all better. 

“Okay. I’ll see you soon?”

Josh gives him a soft smile. “Just focus on having a baby right now. There’ll be plenty of time after that.”

Tyler nods, his hand hovering over the mouse. “I love you.”

It’s a whisper, just for him. 

“I love you too.”

\- - -

Jenna props the iPad up against the mixing bowl, backing away until her entire body fits in the frame. The only thing missing is her feet, so she lifts a leg high enough so Debby can see her slippers. A warm laugh fills the kitchen and Jenna can’t help grinning in reply. Rosie’s warm and heavy against her chest, Jenna’s hands resting gently against the baby’s back. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, babes, you look great.”

Jenna does a little spin. “You think so? I think the dried throw up on the baby sling really adds to it.”

Debby dissolved into giggles, her hand coming up to cover her mouth. “Oh yeah. This year’s hottest accessory.”

Jenna shakes her head, the grin across her face wide, as she leans back toward the camera, resting her elbow on the counter. Debby looks almost as tired as she feels, and Jenna’s suddenly glad she never pursued a career in film. Still, she’s grateful for the conversations they’ve been able to have lately. Both of them dead on their feet, laughing at the smallest thing, keeping each other up far longer than they should. She’d forgotten how much she missed her when her mind was filled with Rosie-shaped thoughts. 

Debby’s watching the little body pressed against Jenna’s chest, a small smile on her face. “She’s so beautiful, Jen. How do you not get lost staring at her?”

Jenna glances down at the small head of dark hair, her hand moving slowly up and down Rosie’s back. The baby sighs softly, shifting against her. “Oh, I do. I do.”

Even through the screen Jenna can tell that Debby’s eyes are wet, both of them silent for a moment, watching the baby. Sometimes Jenna can’t believe she’s real, that she’s really here. It feels too wonderful and magical to be real. Until the exhaustion hits her, and then it’s not so hard to believe. Debby leans back from the camera, delicate fingers moving under her eyes gently as she wipes away unshed tears, a smile pasted across her face. 

“Okay.” Her voice cracks a bit, and Jenna feels her own throat tighten. “I really want some chocolate chip cookies. What was that recipe you told me about?”

Jenna laughs. “It’s two in the morning. You want cookies  _ now _ ?”

“Jen, there is never a wrong time for cookies.” Debby looks at her sternly, her head tipped toward the camera and it sends Jenna laughing again. 

“You and Tyler are so alike sometimes, I swear. No wonder I fell in love with you both.” She rolls her eyes and the other woman laughs, both of them with matching smiles. 

Jenna moves across the kitchen to her recipe box, rifling through until she finds the card she’s looking for. It’s a mess, her neat handwriting marred by spots of dried butter and sugar. These had been a favorite while she was pregnant, and the recipe card is worn with use. As she shuffles back to the adjacent counter Jenna wonders if Rosie will ask for them someday. If her little body will remember the cookies her mom had craved when she was growing, even though they’d never passed her lips. Maybe they’d make them together someday. 

She’s careful to turn to the side as she leans back against the counter, Rosie letting out a content sigh. “Okay, you need to brown the butter first. You up for that?”

Debby nods, pushing back from her own counter. “Lead away, chef.”

They spend the next thirty minutes with Jenna slowly walking Debby through the recipe. Debby holds her phone over the pan as she browns her butter, waiting for Jenna’s go-ahead that it’s the perfect color. She has all the other ingredients, thankfully, but they don’t realize until they’re about halfway through that the rented apartment doesn’t have a mixer. Jenna dissolves into a laughing fit that won’t quit as she watches Debby shoulder through mixing the dough herself, griping about how she’s stronger than this and “don’t need no man.”

While it rests on the counter they talk about New Orleans, and her new movie. Josh has come and gone for his visit, and it’s obvious that Debby’s missing him. Jenna knows the feeling. It seems like it’s been so long since she’s held that mop of curls in her arms, and as much as she appreciates the two of them giving her and Tyler time to adjust with Rosie, she’s about ready to just have them move in for the foreseeable future. Personal space be damned. 

Around three Tyler walks into the kitchen, and Jenna turns to lay a hand on his arm. “I’m sorry baby, did we wake you?”

He shakes his head, hair still ruffled from his pillow, and rubs at the sleep in his eyes. “Thought I heard Ro. That Debby?”

Jenna nods and Tyler reaches over her shoulder to open and close his hand in a wave, aimed in the direction of the camera. “Hey, Debs.”

“Hey, Ty. You look like shit.” Tyler’s wave morphs into a one fingered salute and Debby laughs. Jenna grins at the small smile growing across his face. 

“ _ You _ try having a baby and we’ll see how good  _ you _ look.” His words trail behind him as he moves across the kitchen, pulling a glass from the cabinet and pouring himself some water. 

Jenna shakes her head softly, smile still on her lips, as she turns back to the camera. “If he’s up that means I should sleep. You got a pen? I’ll give you the baking instructions for when it’s done resting.”

Debby holds up a finger before moving out of frame, returning with a small pad of paper and a pen. “Hit me, babe.”

Jenna details the rest of the instructions for her as Debby takes careful notes. She watches the fingers of her right hand gently holding her pen, as the others tuck a piece of hair behind her ear. She’s so beautiful like this, at 3:00 am, when it’s just them. No pretense, no need for perfection, just the same girl Jenna’s known since she was nineteen. It’s weird to think how far they’ve come. How much things have changed. 

When she’s done Debby spends a few minutes watching her and Ro, her elbows resting on the countertop, chin pillowed in her hands. Jenna smiles as she turns from side to side, dipping so Rosie’s face is closer to the camera, so Debby can see her perfect, delicate eyelashes against her cheeks. Debby smiles the entire time, but it’s tinged with sadness, and Jenna knows how much she wants to hold the little girl in her own arms. Soon. They’ll all be together soon. 

“Okay.” Debby sighs, leaning back from the counter. “I should get these cookies in the oven or I’ll never get to sleep. Talk to you guys soon?”

Jenna nods. “Love you.”

Tyler’s voice rings out from the other side of the kitchen. “Love you!”

Debby laughs. “Love you guys, too. Sleep tight.”

\- - -

She’s walking down the hallway to the bedroom, Jim close at her heels, when Debby realizes she can just barely catch whispered voices coming from Josh’s practice room. The man hadn’t been seen for a while, and Debby had assumed he’d been taking out his anxiety on his drums, but they’re currently silent. With the announcement of the shelter in place they’d both immediately started to feel the effects of it weighing on them. They were fortunate to have a home to shelter in, to not worry about lost jobs or unpaid bills, but neither of them felt entirely comfortable being caged inside. Debby knew how much running helped Josh, how hard it would be for him to stay inside while his mind ran away from him. 

When she reaches the doorway, her knuckles poised to rap against the doorframe, she realizes she’s hearing more than just voices. Josh’s breathing is labored, the sound of slick, repetitive movements, and after a moment, a high whine. Debby glances around the doorway to find Josh not behind his drum set, but at his desk, the laptop open in front of him. Tyler’s body fills the screen, and even from the doorway Debby can tell what he’s doing. They’re in almost perfect rhythm, Josh’s hand pumping over his dick as Tyler’s moves over his own. 

She can feel an immediate heat between her legs, that clenching of arousal she knows so well. Debby leans forward quietly, until she’s resting against the doorframe, her eyes trained on her husband’s dark form in front of the computer. Tyler’s words are quiet, punctuated by his own heavy breathing. He eggs Josh on gently, eliciting another soft whine. Debby’s fingers tighten around the doorframe. 

“You look so good, Joshie.” Josh lets out a little cry, needy and desperate. “So beautiful.”

Debby’s hand moves from the doorframe and over her stomach, as if it has a mind of its own. It’s easy to slip it beneath her leggings, to palm herself softly. She’s warm, already wet, and Debby grinds the heel of her hand against her clit, drawing in a sharp breath. Josh doesn’t seem to notice, too wrapped up in his own pleasure, and Debby does it again, harder. She watches Josh lean back in his chair, imagining the look that must be on his face—eyes squeezed shut, mouth open, his cheeks growing pinker and pinker. 

“Wish I was there. Wish I could sink down onto that perfect cock and ride you.” Josh lets out another cry, the rhythm of his ministrations quickening. “Do me a favor, Debs? Ride your husband for me?”

The use of her name comes as a surprise, but Debby recovers quickly. Josh’s chair doesn’t block the doorway from Tyler’s vantage point, she should have known he could see her. Maybe she did know. She pulls her hand from her pants as she walks toward the desk, peeling the leggings off her legs but leaving her underwear on. Josh’s head turns to watch her as she comes around, his face as pink and blissed out as she imagined. 

Debby slowly slings a leg over the chair, settling down onto Josh’s lap until she can rub her wet panties against his dick. Josh shudders, his hands grabbing at her hips, and Debby glances over her shoulder at the laptop. 

“This what you want, Tyler? Want me to fuck your boyfriend right in front of you?”

Tyler nods quickly, biting at his lip harshly before answering. “Someone should.”

Debby laughs as she turns back to face Josh, taking him in hand. He lets out a low groan as her hand wraps around him, his head falling back against the chair. Debby uses her free hand to pull her underwear out of the way, lining up over Josh’s dick and sliding down onto him slowly. Josh’s hands tighten over her hips, a prolonged moan filling the room. Debby pauses to adjust to the feeling of fullness, her hands coming to rest against Josh’s chest. 

“Don’t let up, Debs. I don’t want him to have time to think, I want it to take everything in him to wait until you say he can finally come.”

Debby begins rocking back and forth, a grin on her face. “Oh you’re just mean, Ty.”

Josh can’t even manage a response, his face already growing redder as he lets out another moan. Debby moves her hips harshly, trying to get the angle just right. When she finally hits her g-spot there’s a small gasp, and then she’s increasing the pace. Her right hand leaves Josh’s chest to rub at her clit harshly and it’s perfect. Rough, messy, the kind of fucking that leaves them both breathless. 

Somewhere behind her she can hear Tyler beginning to jerk himself off again, his pace increasing to match hers. Debby’s eyes squeeze shut, her head falling back as she grows closer and closer to the edge. Josh is whining softly, his fingertips making bruises on her hips and Debby grinds down on him harder. 

“Fuck, you two are so hot. You getting close, Joshie?” There’s a high whine in response and Debby can hear the grin in Tyler’s voice. “How about you Debs, you close?”

She can only nod as she pulls her lip between her teeth, biting down until it hurts. 

“Make him come, Debs.” Tyler’s voice is breathless, and Debby can see his reddened face in her mind’s eye. 

Debby gives another sharp snap of her hips, her hand fisting in Josh’s shirt against his chest as she commands him. “Come. Now Josh, inside me.”

He does with a groan, hands tight on her hips, and with one last thrust Debby follows him over the edge. She can just hear Tyler groaning as he comes as well, her heart hammering in her ears. Her hand comes to rest against her clit, overstimulated and sensitive. She slumps forward against Josh’s chest, both of them breathing heavily. Josh’s hands finally relax over her hips, his head turning to the side to kiss the crown of her head gently. Debby smiles against him. 

“Thanks for the invite, boys.”

Tyler laughs at her words, and he still sounds breathless. Debby turns her head until she can catch sight of him on the screen. His chest is flushed deep red and his hair is a mess. She desperately wants to run her fingers through it, to push it back from his forehead. Tyler always lets out the most perfect hums when you play with his hair. She misses that sound. 

“Thank  _ you _ for the show.” Debby grins at him in response, and Tyler gives her a lascivious wink. “I’ll let you two get cleaned up. Talk to you soon. Love you.”

The call ends, and Debby sighs as she settles back against Josh’s chest. 

\- - - 

When Josh answers the phone Jenna’s face fills the screen, her finger pressed to her lips. Josh nods quickly that he understands, and Jenna’s face morphs into a smile. She takes him and the phone on a short walk down the hallway, and when she’s not looking Josh memorizes the way her hair falls from her bun to frame her face perfectly. Jenna glances down at him, still smiling, and whispers conspiratorially. 

“You have to see this. I just about died.”

She finally enters what Josh recognizes as Ro’s room. He’s seen it more than a few times now, on their seemingly daily FaceTimes. It feels like Jenna in the same way her and Tyler’s bedroom does: warm, bright, and welcoming. Josh watches as she raises a finger, motioning for him to wait while she flips the camera. The screen is dark for a moment, and then fuzzy as it tries to focus on the scene in front of her. Josh brings the phone closer to his face, as if that will help the picture sharpen. 

When it finally grows clear he can see Tyler, sitting in the white rocking chair in the corner of Rosie’s room. He’s shirtless, with that awful brown beanie on his head, and a pair of sweats. Ro rests on his bare chest, in a soft grey onesie, both of them dead asleep. Josh watches as Tyler’s chest slowly rises and falls, Rosie traveling up and down on top of it. He feels a pang in his chest, and tries not to get teary at the image, but it’s a fight. Tyler looks so at ease, both of them content together. 

The camera flips again and Josh watches Jenna slowly tiptoe out of the room. She’s focused on the footing in front of her, and it gives Josh a chance to collect himself. He watches as she closes the door behind her gently, walking a bit down the hallway before finally relaxing. Jenna runs her hand over her hair, pushing the wisps up off her face, and Josh tries not to mourn their loss. She’s still radiant, after all. 

“Is that not the cutest thing you’ve ever seen?”

Josh mirrors her smile. “Daddy Ty, and his Rosie girl.”

Jenna laughs at the “daddy” and Josh tries not to smirk at his own joke. They’ve been teasing Tyler with that one for a while. 

“No but really, Jen. She’s beautiful.”

She lets out a long breath, and Josh can see how tired she is. “Thanks, babe. This shit’s not easy, but she’s worth it.”

“I wish Debby and I were there to help.” He frowns gently, but Jenna waves a hand at him. 

“We’ve got it covered. Besides, best thing we can do is all stay safe.” He watches her sink into one of the seats at the bar, her chin coming to rest on her hand. “How are you guys doing, by the way?”

“Okay.” Josh shrugs. “We’re both going a little crazy, but Debs figured out the grocery delivery this week, so that helped. We walk around the house naked most days, which is nice. And honestly, we’ve been fucking like rabbits just to pass the time.”

Jenna laughs loudly, before clamping a hand over her mouth. She glances over her shoulder in the direction of Ro’s room, waiting. When there’s no sign she’s disturbed Tyler and the baby she finally lets her hand drop. When it comes away from her face there’s a wide smile left behind, and she shakes her head, laughing more quietly. 

“Gotta love newlywed life.” Josh gives her a cheeky wink at her words, and Jenna sighs. “I miss that.”

“You guys not up for having sex again yet?”

Jenna shakes her head, and Josh wonders if he should press. Thankfully she takes the matter out of his hands. “I mean, he’s gone down on me a couple times, and I surprised him with a blow job the other morning, but neither of us have had much energy. I keep getting horny at the most random times, but he’s either asleep or dead on his feet when I do.”

This time it’s Josh who laughs, though it’s clearly not meanly. “Like when?”

“Well, honestly, right now. I fed Rosie before the two of them fell asleep, and while I prefer when one of you two suck on my nipples, sometimes it’s not the most uncomfortable thing when I’m breastfeeding. Is that weird?”

Josh shakes his head, leaning back in his desk chair. “I’ve read that’s really common. Even for people who don’t like having their nipples sucked on, and we’ve established that’s something you enjoyed even before all this.”

Jenna leans back from the phone, tipping her head, a small grin on her face. “You’ve  _ read _ ? Joshua Dun have you been reading parenting books?”

His cheeks color at her question and he shrugs. “Maybe. I know I’m not technically her parent, but I’m her parent adjacent. I should know what’s what. Besides, it’ll be Debby and I doing this soon enough.”

“True.” Jenna smiles widely, and Josh wishes he could press a kiss to her cheek. 

He leans forward, resting his arms on his desk so that his face takes up most of the screen. “Now, about you being horny.”

Jenna laughs, her nose wrinkling, and turns a delightful shade of pink. “You offering to help in some way?”

“Well, yeah.” Josh’s stomach jumps as she meets his eyes, already seeming darker. Hungrier. “I know I can’t touch you but, I know how you like to be touched.”

“Do you?” Jenna’s lips slowly widen in a grin, as she leans back against her chair. “You gonna tell me?”

He nods. 

“First, you like when someone plays with your nipples. Pinching them, rolling them between your fingers. You like when they get hard against your hand.”

Jenna’s hand slowly disappears under her oversized shirt, Josh just barely able to make it out moving over her breast beneath the fabric. She pulls her lip between her teeth, her eyes closing as her head tips back a bit, and Josh knows she’s thinking about his hands on her skin. Jenna takes a couple deep breaths, her hand moving slowly, before her head dips down again and she meets Josh’s eyes through the screen. 

“Then what?” Her voice is husky already. 

“You like when someone trails their hand down your stomach. When they brush their fingertips over your hip bones, making you shudder.”

Josh watches the movement under her shirt change, traveling lower down her torso. Jenna closes her eyes briefly as she trembles, and when they open again they’re the brightest blue. 

She hums quietly. “What next?”

“Then you like when someone dips their hand inside your pants. Not inside your panties, not quite yet. But palming you, holding you while they feel how wet you’re getting already.” Josh swallows thickly at the last few words, thinking about his hand resting against her. 

Jenna’s hand slides below the waistband of her leggings, sucking in a breath as it settles against her cunt. 

“Can you feel it, Jen? Can you feel how wet you are already?”

“Mhmm.” She nods quickly, humming an affirmative as she pulls her lip between her teeth again. “What now, Joshie?”

“You like when they grind their palm against your clit, sending little shocks through your body that’re not quite enough. You like being teased, just a little bit, before you take back control.”

Jenna grins at him, her face changing into a gasp as her hand moves below the edge of the screen. Her head falls back again, eyes closing as her mouth opens, and Josh gets lost staring at the perfect, smooth skin of her neck. He wants to cover it in kisses, to bite at it lightly while she buries her hands in his hair. Sometimes he runs his tongue over and over her until she’s trembling beneath his lips. He wishes he could taste her. 

“I know what I want next.” Her words are breathy, just audible. 

“What Jen, what do you want?”

“I want a finger inside of me. Just one, just enough to make me want more.”

“Do it.” Josh leans forward, trying to see better on the screen. “Pull your leg up so the angle’s better.”

It feels more like a command than he’s used to giving Jenna, but she doesn’t fight him on it. With her foot resting on the seat of the chair Josh gets a better view, her knee pressed against her chest. Her hand moves beneath her leggings and Josh wishes he could see everything. But it’s almost better this way; it’s a tease for him as much as it is for her. Jenna’s breathing is getting heavy, and Josh knows what she wants next. 

“Add another finger. You like when you feel full, when you can grind your clit against the heel of someone’s hand.”

Jenna lets out a whimper, and Josh watches her press her hips against the seat of the chair. He’s watched her fuck herself on his hand so many times, watched her take whatever she wants. Josh aches to touch her, to be the one making her feel this good. He’ll have to settle for what he can get. 

“Fuck Joshie, that feels so good.”

“You like when they press against your g-spot, when their hand makes little circles in and against you. Don’t you, Jen?”

“Mhmm.” Her nod is quick, her lip pulled between her teeth. 

“Are you close, baby?”

“So close. So close, Joshie. I—“ Her words cut off, caught in her throat, and Josh watches her hips move harder against her hand. He wishes he could feel her around his fingers. Feel how close she is. 

“You’re so beautiful, Jenna. Watching you like this… shit.”

Jenna grins briefly, her hand moving faster against herself, and then her mouth drops open. Her breath catches in her throat and Josh watches as she goes completely still. He can almost feel her clenching around his fingers where they rest on the desk, can imagine the smell of her sweat and perfume mingling around him. It feels unfair that she’s so beautiful and all he can do is watch. 

She finally starts to move again, taking deep breaths that leave her chest heaving. The foot slowly slides off the chair, and Josh watches her slump against her seat. He can’t tell but he wonders if she’s palming herself, if she can still feel the way she trembles as those shocks go through her. He wants to kiss her face, her neck, every inch of her he can reach. She’s gorgeous. 

“Fuck I miss you.” Her voice wavers, like she’s still feeling the effects, as she tries to slow her breathing. 

Josh laughs. “I miss you too.”

\- - -

“Okay, have either of us worked with this person?”

Tyler shakes his head, and he watches as Debby flips some of the plastic flaps down. His turn. “Would Josh ask for a hall pass on this person?”

Debby laughs, nodding vigorously. “Oh, absolutely.”

Tyler grins as he flips down a few of the pictures. He’s getting closer but he’s still way too far out to guess. He glances up at the screen, watching as Debby pulls her hand to her lips, thinking. She’s surprisingly good at this game, usually only needing half of the questions the rest of them do to narrow down her guess. Tyler finds it infuriating how often she wins, so they’ve been playing quite a bit. 

She bites her bottom lip briefly before speaking. “Would you be embarrassed to admit you want to fuck this person?”

This time it’s Tyler who laughs. “Definitely.”

Six more faces fall, and Debby’s only got four left. Fuck, she’s going to get it again. It’s somehow all the more demoralizing when Tyler loses to her. Not because she’s a girl. Not even because she’s  _ Josh’s _ girl. But because she makes it look so fucking easy. Debby props her chin on her hands, smiling at him sweetly, and Tyler feels his face heat up. 

“Your turn.”

Tyler looks out over the sea of faces he still has up. The game had been Jenna’s idea, printing out and cutting up tiny celebrity faces to cover the Guess Who? pieces. She personalized one for Josh and Debby as well, before sending it off to Los Angeles. He and Jenna had played a few times, they’d even played as a foursome, but no one was as much competition as Debby. And so they’d found a new activity during Josh’s runs and Jenna’s naps. 

He lets out a long sigh, trying to come up with a uniting feature between at least a handful of the faces. “Okay… would this person probably tell me they’ve never heard of my music?”

Debby snorts, looking down at her card, before frowning at the camera. “Yeah, sorry, babe.”

“Bastard.” Tyler mutters as he flips down a few more faces. He’s still got too many left, Debby’s gonna win again.

“Does this person look like they’d give really good hugs?”

Tyler lets out a long sigh before answering quietly. “Yes.”

“I’m sorry, what was that?” Debby’s got a shit-eating grin on her face, turning with her hand behind her ear so it’s closer to the mic. 

“I said yes. Fuck.” Debby laughs as she flips down the rest of her flaps, leaving only one behind. 

She clears her throat before glancing up at him, another grin on her face. “Is it Seth Rogen?”

“You know it is.” Debby dissolves into laughter as he scowls at her, rolling to her side as she clutches her stomach. 

“I can’t believe you wanna fuck Seth Rogen.” Her words are punctuated with laughs. 

“Shut up! He’s got like, a hot dad thing going on. And he’s funny!” Debby’s still rolling on the floor laughing. “Oh fuck off, I hate playing with you.”

Debby finally rolls back to her stomach, looking him over through the computer screen. “Now Ty, don’t pout. You can’t win every time.”

“ _ Every _ time? How about  _ some _ time? How are you so good at this?”

Debby shrugs and it’s infuriating. “Natural talent.”

“Well at least when acting doesn’t work out you’ve got a back-up career.” Debby looks positively scandalized for a moment, before dissolving into laughter again. Tyler huffs as he watches her roll around on the ground. “Dude, seriously, shut up.”

Debby glances at him through the screen, from where she’s lying on her back on the floor. “What’re you gonna do about it? Can’t kiss me to shut me up this time.”

She’s right, that is a favorite move of his, but it’s pretty impossible with their current situation. Usually this is around the time Tyler starts pulling off her clothes, both of them kissing each other hard enough to leave bruises. Josh is always so pliant under his hands, Tyler likes when someone pushes back sometimes. And Debby never gives up an inch that he doesn’t earn. 

“Don’t make me break quarantine and fly to LA just to spank you.”

It doesn’t get the response Tyler was hoping for, Debby looking over him with reproach. “What makes you think I’d let you?”

Damn her. Tyler feels that familiar tightening in his stomach, the ground suddenly coming up to meet him where he’s pressed into the carpet. Debby grins, like she knows exactly what’s going on in his pants, and Tyler wants even more to kiss her until she can’t breathe. Her head whips around at some noise Tyler didn’t hear, and then bright yellow shoes are stepping into the frame. 

“Seriously? Again? Aren’t you guys sick of this game?” Josh is slightly out of breath, and Tyler can imagine the sweaty curls stuck to his brow. 

Debby turns back to the camera, smirking. “Tyler’s sick of losing.”

“Fuck you.” Tyler squints his eyes at her in a way he hopes is menacing, before speaking up louder. “Josh, your wife’s being a bitch.”

His head dips down into the frame and Tyler’s glad to see he was right about the curls. “Hey. She’s your girlfriend, buddy.”

Tyler crosses his arms on the carpet in front of him, dropping his chin into them as he mutters. “Not when she’s being a bitch.”

“I heard that.” Debby tilts her head down at him, and Tyler sticks out his tongue in response. “If you’re gonna be childish I’m gonna hang up.”

There’s a loud sigh in the background, and Josh’s yellow shoes move to shuffle out of the frame. “I’m going to take a shower. You two are exhausting.”

Tyler watches them disappear, before his eyes turn back to Debby. She watches him quietly for a few moments, before dipping down fully to the carpet herself. She tilts her head over her crossed arms, pillowing her cheek on one of her forearms. They watch each other for a few moments, neither of them speaking, and Tyler thinks about how nice it is. 

“I miss you, y’know.” Debby’s voice is quiet, and it pulls at Tyler’s heart gently. 

“I miss you too.” 

She gives him a soft smile. “Same time tomorrow?”

Tyler’s face widens in a grin. “You’re on.”

\- - -

Jenna brings the iPad down into the basement, Rosie resting against her other shoulder. It’s not until she reaches the very bottom of the stairs that they start to hear anything, though the sound is muffled through the door. Josh catches himself thinking “of course the soundproofing is great, it’s Tyler Joseph, he demands the best” and if that it’s a metaphor for his entire life. Debby’s still in the bathroom, trying to find what he’d asked for, but she joins them not long after. Jenna swings the camera around for a bit, trying to find the right spot, before finally reaching behind Tyler to prop the iPad against the skull resting on his desk. 

Josh still hasn’t gotten the story on that one. 

With the camera placed he and Debby watch Jenna move to the couch, laying down with her back resting against an arm. She bends her knees, placing her feet against the couch, before resting Rosie against them. The little girl’s arms turn into a windmill almost immediately, and Jenna smiles as she reaches out for her tiny hands. There’s a few soft sounds as Rosie settles, taking hold of Jenna’s fingers, but they’re hard to hear over Tyler’s playing. The electric guitar is a new sound, but Josh is already starting to like it. 

Tyler glances up to see them on the screen and gives a wide smile, before turning back to the strings. Josh’s eyes are transfixed on him as Debby reaches for his right hand, pulling at his fingers gently. He turns to smile at her as she opens the bottle of nail polish, and Debby mirrors him. Josh watches as the brush moves slowly across his nail, covering it in color. Debby does a few swipes before moving onto the next nail, and then the next. It’s mesmerizing. 

By the time she finishes his first hand Tyler’s begun to sing softly, almost under his breath but still audible. Josh loves listening to him like this, unplugged and vulnerable. It reminds him of basement rehearsals and laying on Tyler’s bed at the rental house, while he plucked at the ukulele from the corner. Those early days feel so long ago, and sometimes Josh misses them desperately. But there’s so much he’s thankful for now, so much he loves, and he’s grateful his younger self was lucky enough to find this man. To find this family. 

Debby moves on to his other hand and Josh glances over at Jenna on the couch. She’s harder to see, the iPad’s camera not doing the best in the lowered lights of the basement studio, but she’s still there. Her arms move slowly back and forth, Rosie’s hands wrapped around her thumbs. Every so often she makes a face at the little girl, and is rewarded with some sound or gurgle. Josh’s smile is almost as wide as hers when it happens. 

None of them say anything, just listening to Tyler play quietly, listening to him work through it. Debby finishes with his left hand and moves back to his first, adding another coat on each of his nails. Josh lets his eyes fall closed, listening to Tyler’s voice, feeling Debby’s warm, soft hand wrapped around his. It’s everything gentle and comforting, everything that feels like home, even when they’re far away from each other. It’s hard to say how long this will last, how long they’ll be apart, but moments like this make it feel less unbearable. 

At some point Tyler lowers the guitar, grabbing the iPad and joining Jenna on the couch after propping it up on the coffee table. Debby puts away the nail polish, blowing over his fingers gently and warning him not to move. Josh tips his head up at her and Debby gets the message, leaning down for a soft kiss. He can feel her smile against his lips, and it’s easy to return. When she comes back into the kitchen she pulls her chair closer to him, resting her head against his shoulder. 

“What’re you gonna call it, Ty?” Josh’s voice feels raw, unused, but no one comments. 

“Maybe Level of Concern?” His eyes are focused on Rosie, where she grabs for his hand up above her head. 

“It’s very catchy.” Debby’s got a smile in her voice. 

“A certified bop.” Jenna pipes up and they all laugh. It all feels so easy when they’re together like this. 

There’s silence for a moment and Josh hates to break it. “I don’t think we’re gonna come home for Easter.”

Jenna lets out a sigh, her eyes still on Ro. “Yeah, we kinda figured that.” 

“But we could still do dinner. Over FaceTime? Josh and I will even dress up, no joggers, we swear.” Debby’s smile feels hopeful, like they’re all trying to hold onto normalcy with both hands. 

“Oh, I’m making no such promise.” Tyler has a smile on his face as he replies, but Josh thinks it looks sadder than he intended. 

Josh chuckles lightly and they all join in, though with none of the prior joy. 

“It’ll be over soon. And we’ll be together. And it’ll all be okay.” Jenna’s voice is quiet, her eyes still focused on Rosie, but Josh can tell there's tears gathering at the corners. 

The longer this goes on the harder it is for them to see light at the end of the tunnel. Josh knows how lucky he is, how his troubles are nothing compared to some others, but it’s still hard. Watching the people he loves through a screen, wondering how long it’ll be until he gets to see them in person again. To hold them. Debby gives his hand a small squeeze, as if she can hear the thoughts running through his head. He smiles at her gently, before leaning down to press a kiss into the top of her head. 

“Hey, Ty.” The other man glances up at the screen at Josh’s words. “Will you play us something else? Something we know?”

Tyler smiles at him warmly. “Sure.”

They all watch as he grabs the iPad again, moving it back over to his desk. This time, instead of grabbing the guitar, he pulls a uke into his lap as he sits down in his chair. There’s a bit of tuning, though the uke barely needs it, and then the first notes of “Can’t Help Falling in Love” begin. Josh smiles, his head dipping to rest against Debby’s gently, and Jenna pulls Rosie up onto her chest. They all grow quiet again as they watch him, as his voice softly fills the room.

Josh can’t help thinking that everything really is going to be okay. 


End file.
